Cruises don't guarantee port visits, nor do they give partial refunds for skipping ports due to bad weather.

Do cruise lines have to refund canceled excursions? Learn when you’re entitled to money back and what “known risk” really means for your trip.

For years, cruise ships were seen as floating condos for retirees—but in the past few years, the industry has begun to shed that image, with the average age of customers going down…and revenue going up. The industry is expected to make a whopping $30 billion in 2024. But cruises go back much longer than most people realize—and have a surprisingly dark history.

You planned ahead. You showed up early. You even skipped that overpriced airport breakfast sandwich because you wanted extra time to get through security. Then somehow, despite all your responsible adult behavior, you still watched your plane leave without you because the TSA line looked like a theme park ride designed by chaos itself. Now the airline is offering you a voucher instead of a refund, and suddenly your relaxing getaway has transformed into a customer-service survival game. Unfortunately, airlines usually don’t consider massive security lines their problem, even when half the airport seems trapped in them. That doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck, though. Between airline policies, credit card protections, and a few strategic moves, you may still have a shot at getting more than a glorified coupon for future stress.

A lot of travelers assume border crossings work like airport security with a passport check thrown in. In reality, crossing into another country is more like asking permission than exercising a guaranteed right. Even if you have valid documents, a return ticket, hotel reservations, and absolutely no record, border officers still have broad authority to question you, search your belongings, and decide whether you’re admissible.

You land in another country, pull out your credit card, and suddenly it’s being declined everywhere. It's frustrating, but there's a reasonable explanation.